William b



i (Model.)

y W. B. SMITH.

GRAIN CRADLE. No. 322,885. PatentedJuly 21, 1885.

J 1c" C I a j z N ;/'W J. :lfa/ a 7 2 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE".

WILLIAM B. SMITH, OF JONESBOROUGH, GEORGIA.

GRAIN-CRADLE.

.SPECIPICATION forming part'of Letters Patent No. 322,885, dated July 21, 1885. Application filed December 31, 1883. (Model) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM B. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at J onesborough, in the county of Clayton and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful In1- provement in a Grain-Cutting Cradle, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in grain-cutting cradles in which metal is used for the fingers, ribs, braces, and framework in combination with the snath and blade, and in the use of metal that has been so treated as to render it thoroughly rust-proof; and the objects of my improvement are, first, to construct a grain-cutting cradle of metal in such a way and of such proportions as will make it less weighty than the old style; second, to make it more substantial and less liable to spring and warp out of proper shape from the dampness and use it must necessarily be subected to; third,to render it more cheaply mann factured and more easily repaired, being so constructed and of such material that the farmer who handles it, though not a skilled mechanic, can easily repair it, saving himself much loss of time and expense; fourth, in so constructing a grain-cutting cradle that as many fingers can be used as may be desired, thereby placing them so close together that no grain can fall through and be lost.

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved cradle, showing the construction of same, the different parts, and their connection and relations. Fig. 2 is a View of the first or lower finger. Fig. 3 is a view of the upper or last finger. Figs. 4 are detail views of parts detached, and Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the arrangement of the wedge k.

a a a are eyes or loops formed in the fingers, through which bolts 1) b b may pass. These, in combination with sleeves h h h and nuts 0 0 c, unite the fingers to form the frame of the cradle. M '5 are continnations of the fingers forming the ribs, at the end of which loops 6 e are formed, through which common woodscrews pass, securing them to the snath.

dis a brace extending from the arm f, through an eye on which it passes and in which it is l secured by a nut, 0, down to the snath, in

which it is secured by the wedge k. This forms a brace for the whole frame, and permits the points of the fingers to be either set from or toward the point of the snath by means of wedge 7t.

f is a brace or stay having an eye or loop formed on each end, by which it is attached to brace d at one end and to the bolt 1) at the other, at the fourth finger, or about ten inches from the top of the frame, thereby forming a stay to brace d and to the upper or last finger.

b b b are bolts, which, with nuts 0 0 c and bolts Z) I) b, fasten the blade securely to the finger-frame.

g g g are eyes or loops turned on the lower ends of bolts 1) b I), through which the bolts b b 12, passing through the blade and sleeves h h h, may pass, thereby more rigidly fastening the blade to the finger-frame.

h h h are sleeves, through which bolts 1) b b pass, separating the finger-frame from the blade.

Fig. 3 is the upper finger, showing its edges turned at right angles so that the finger may be made of very light material, while having the strength necessary to support the entire construction.

I am aware that prior to my invention grain-cutting cradles have been made in which fingers made of wood were used in combination with snath and blade to support the grain while and after being out down. I therefore do not claim such a combination, broadly; but

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1x In a grain-cutting cradle, the combination, with the brace 11 and the heel-extension of the upper finger, of the brace f, substantially as set forth.

2. In a grain-cutting cradle, the combina tion, with the cutting-blade and finger f, connected by braces, of fingers connecting said braces and the snath, as set forth.

3. In a grain-cutting cradle, the combination, with a suitable frame carrying a blade, of a snath and fingers connecting said frame and said snath, substantially as set forth.

4. In a grain-cutting cradle, the combination of the fingers and ribs, of single pieces of metal, with loops a a a turned in fingers, and

loops 6 in the ribs 5, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. 1

5. In a grain-cutting cradle, the combination of bolts 1) b b with loops 9 g 9 turned on one end and threaded nuts 0 c c on the other, said bolts passing through loops at a a in the fingers, and sleeves h h h, forming the same into one frame, substantially as described.

6. In a grain-cutting cradle, the combination of bolts 22 b b, passing through the loops 1 g g on bolts b b I), through loops (0' a a in the lower finger, and through sleeves h h h, securing the blades to the frame, substantially as set forth.

7. In a grain-cutting cradle, the combina- 15 tion of the brace d and stay f with-the heelextension of the upper finger and the snath, substantially as set forth.

8. In a grain-cutting cradle, the upper finger with the edges turned at right angles to 20 the body, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

WVILLIAM B. SMITH.

AttrS'):

(mo. S. HANES, C. W. HoDNE'rT. 

